HamstersWhy does my hamster eat poop? Hamsters have a different digestive system than humans. Hamsters produce two types of excrement — one that's partially digested containing lots of nutrients, and one that's just garbage. Hamsters practice coprophagy, eating the nutrient-filled excrement to get the nutrients from it and digest it fully. Do hamsters hibernate? Technically it's not hibernation, but they will slow down their body functions (they become "torpid") if the room temperature of the room they are in gets unusually low, but shouldn't just go into hibernation just because it's the winter season. If your hamster reaches this state, in most cases do not to disturb them. Let them come out of it naturally. Golden hamsters become sluggish at about 14C and torpid at about 10C. Dwarf hamsters aren't known to hibernate, and Syrian hamsters should be warmed to get them out of hibernation because they can die if they are in this state too long. Lack of water, and sudden temperature change can cause a sort of hibernation, and this is dangerous. Wake them up, and get them water, food, and warmth. Your hamster might not be dead, just hibernating! Check the whiskers, because on a hibernating hamster, they'll be twitching. How can I interpret the hamster's body language? From "Hamsters" by Helga Fritzsche: Body Language: Convulsive movement, as well as sudden continual face washing, signifies fright. Defensive raising of both front paws can be observed in males that have been unexpectedly attacked by females and have no way of escaping. This gesture prevents or at least delays an even more serious attack. Puffing up the cheeks and showing the abdominal regions are to be construed as a threat. Lying motionless on the back shows resistance and fear. Stiff-legged walking of a young animal, with its tail stiffly stretched up and its hindquarters turned toward the adult hamster, denotes fear and submission; it propitiates the old animals. This can also often be observed in vanquished adult hamsters. Can I let my hamster swim? No. No matter what you have heard, water is dangerous to hamsters. Even if they do not drown trying to stay out of the water, chances are they will catch pneumonia. What should I do if I find bugs in the hamster food? It is not safe to feed hamsters with food that contains bugs as these bugs are from an unknown origin. Since the food was most likely harvested from a farming environment, there is no way to tell if these bugs ingested pesticides or carry diseases/parasites. Do buy reliable brands of hamster mixes which come with an expiry date and are vacuum packed to ensure the freshness of the food. Is it normal for hamsters to have their teeth sometimes fall off? No, as their teeth continues to grow throughout their life. Falling teeth is often a sign of dental disease. Can hamsters get bone fractures if they fall while climbing? Hamsters, like most other creatures, may suffer concussion when fallen from a height especially when the landing is hard! They do get bone fractures and it is best to bring it to a vet when it is suspected to suffer from that. |
Adopt a Pet
|
